1. FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates generally to hydraulic dampers for vehicles and, in particular, is concerned with a molded piston for mounting on a piston rod in a hydraulic damper.
2. DESCRIPTION OF THE RELATED ART
A typical hydraulic shock absorber or strut includes a piston and piston rod subassembly which reciprocates in an inner cylinder during compression and rebound of the damper. The piston may contain a valving package to vary the flow of hydraulic fluid from first and second chambers in the inner cylinder, resulting in desired damping characteristics.
The piston is generally formed as a metallic cylindrical member requiring several machining and cutting operations. An inner passage is bored through the piston to receive the valving package and permit the flow of fluid. Oftentimes, the valving package is retained within the piston by a crimping procedure. A sealing band can be provided around the outer circumference of the piston to provide a seal against the inner surface of the inner cylinder. In other constructions, a piston can be formed by various elements into a substantially cylindrical package capable of reciprocating in the inner cylinder.
The art continues to seek improvements. It is desirable to provide an economical piston which can be easily mounted on conventional piston rods. The piston should be simple in construction and provide valving for fluid to pass between upper and lower chambers of an inner cylinder of a shock absorber.